Starter for an internal combustion engine



Jan. 12, 1960 p. H. JONES, JR T 2,920,612

STARTER FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan. 17, 1956 5 Sheets-rSheet 1 I ZNVENTOR. Charles H. Jones,JR.

Y "H or ey Jan. 12', 1960 c. H. JONES, JR 2,920,612

STARTER FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan. 17, 1956 4 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Charles H. Jones J M/Eigy- I Jan. 12, 1960 c. H. JONES, JR

STARTER FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan. 17, 1956 -5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. v Charles H. Jone Jia Jan. 12, 1960 c. H. JONES, JR

STARTER FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 17, 1956 Jan. 12, 1960 c. H. JONES, JR

STARTER FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan. 17, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Charles H. Jones-Np B United States Patent Ofiice 2,920,612 Patented Jan. 12, 1960 STARTER FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Charles H. Jones, Jr., Lunenhurg, Mass.

Application January 17, 1956, Serial No.'559,565

'5 Claims. (Cl. 123-479) This invention relates to a starter for an internal combustion engine and more particularly to an automatic means for rotating the crankshaft of an engine until such time as the engine starts and rotates under is own power.

In the past it has been the practice to provide the crankshafts of small portable gasoline engines with external pulleys around which a starter rope can be coiled. Starting an engine in this manner is tiresome and sometimes dangerous. Many attempts to provide an automatic means for accomplishing this function have been made. For instance, it has been suggested that the starting be accomplished by the power obtained from the explosion of a blank cartridge, but this method is. so expensive as to be prohibitive. The most successful attempts have centered around the use of an electric motor; however, the initial installation of this type of starter is expensive and, since they operate from a storage battery, they are expensive to maintain, because small engines do not have generators to re-charge the battery. Therefore, the battery must be frequently recharged because of the large current which is drawn by an electric motor that is large enough to turn over the engine. These and other disadvantages of the prior art have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the present invention to provide a starter for internal combustion engines which is inexpensive to manufacture, install and operate and which is simple and-rugged in construction.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a starter making use of an inexpensive source of primary power, which source need not be replenished except at very infrequent intervals.

A still further object of the invention is the provision.

of a starter which is safe to use and is not rendered inoperative even under the most adverse conditions.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a starter for an internal combustion engine that includes means for extinguishing a fire.

The foregoing statements are merely illustrative of the various aims and advantages of this invention. Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon a study of the following specification when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a specific embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the invention taken on the line IIEI of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line lll-ll1 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line VV of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the invention taken on the line VI--VI of Figure l, and

Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 are various orthographic projections of an element of the invention.

In the several figures of the drawings like reference numerals indicate the same parts of the invention.

Referring first to Figure l and 2, wherein are best shown the general features of the invention, the starter, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, is shown as attached to an internal combustion engine 11 having a crankshaft 12 extending therefrom on which is keyed a flywheel 13. The engine 11 is shown for purposes of illustration as an outboard motor for driving a boat and it has a horizontal flywheel 13 and a vertical crankshaft 12. The starter is provided with a generally circular outer casing consisting of a base 14, a cylinder 15 and a cover 16 fastened one above the other in the order named. The base has integral dependent abutments 17 by which it is fastened to the engine 11 and a smoothly finished horizontal upper surface 18 having a slight upwardly-extending bead 19 around its periphery. The cylinder 15 is of a generally annular configuration and is formed to fit against the surface 18 of the base within the bead 19; it is similarly formed at its upper portion to fit against a smoothly finished surface 21 of the cover 16 within a peripheral bead 22. The cylinder is provided with a large circular'cylindrical bore 23 having radial grooves 24 and 25 formed in its surface adjacent its upper and lower extremities, respectively, and having rubber Q-rings 26 and 27 residing therein. The cover and the base are both bolted to the cylinder, so that the assemblage forms a complete casing for the internal elements of the device.

Within the cylinder 15 resides a rotor 28 having a cylindrical outer surface 29 which slidably engages the bore 23 for rotation therewith. A deep annular groove 31 of rectangular cross-section is formed in this outer surface which groove serves to define with the surface 29 of the cylinder an expansion chamber 32. The groove extends completely around the rotor with the exception of a radial wall 33, evident in plan view in Figure 4. A lower horizontal radial surface 34 of the rotor rests on the surface 18 of the base 14. The rotor and the cylinder are formed with recesses 35 and 36, respectively, which together form an annular groove overlying the surface 18 of the base; an annular relief groove 3? is formed in the portion of the surface 18 underlying this groove. In the annular passage defined by the surface 18, the groove 37, and the recesses 35 and 36 reside a series of hardened metal wafers 38, which serve as hearing members. At the upper side of the rotor and cylinder are formed similar recesses 41 and 42 which form an annular passage with the surface 21 of the cover 16 and a relief groove 43 formed therein; wafers 44 reside in this passage, as is best evident in Figure 4.

In the center of the cover 16-is formed a tubular portion 45 extending axially toward the rotor; the innermost extremity of this portion is provided with an inwardlyextending radial flange 46 defining a central opening 47. A sheet metal disk 48 underlies the tubular portion 45 and the flange 46 and has an upwardly-extending tubular neck 49 which fits tightly in the opening 47 The disk is retained in place by a staking operation on the neck, as is indicated in the drawings. The rotor 28 is provided with an axial cylindrical bore 51 which surrounds the outer periphery of the disk 48 and which terminates at its upper portion in an inwardly-directed flange 52 which overlies and is spaced from the disk 48. An annular chamber is thus defined by the bore 51, the upper surface of the disk 48, the outer surface of the tubular portion 45 of the cover, and the lower surface of the flange 52 of the rotor. In this chamber resides a coiled leaf spring 53 of the type used in clocks and other spring-driven devices. The spring is attached at one end to the rotor and at the other end to the cover.

Bolted to the flywheel 13 of the engine is a ratchet plate 54 having a circular row of ratchet teeth 55 formed therein. These teeth have vertical forward surfaces and inclined rearward surfaces. In a portion of the rotor 28 overlying the row of teeth is formed a vertical bore 56 having a pawl 57 slidably mounted therein. As is best evident in Figure 5, the pawl has an upstanding stem 58 which protrudes from the top of the rotor and to which is attached a leaf spring 59. This spring is how shaped and serves to bias the pawl resiliently in the upward direction out of engagement with the ratchet teeth.

Concentric with and encircling the tubular portion 45 of the cover 16 is a tubular flange 61 on which is rotatably mounted a pulley 62. The pulley has a hub 63 fitted to the flange 61, a grooved rim 64 and a web 65 extending between the hub and rim. A rope is fastened at one end in the rim groove and at the other end is provided with a handle 67 for pulling, in the usual manner. The rope leaves the casing through an aperture and a guide pulley 68 is mounted on the cover. The web 65 is provided with a large aperture 69 in which resides a dog 71 having an inclined lower face adapted on occasion to engage and depress the stem 58 of the pawl 57. The dog is mounted on one end of an arm 72, the other end of which is pivotally fastened to the web by a rivet 73. Extending upwardly from the dog is a cam pin 74 the upper end of which resides adjacent the top wall of the cover. Extending downwardly from the said top wall is a series of cam abutments 75, 76, 77 and 78 adapted to engage the pin and move the dog inwardly and outwardly of the pulley on the pivoted leaf spring 72. The particular shapes and locations of these abutments will be thoroughly explained hereinafter in connection with the operation of the apparatus.

Fastened to the exterior of the cylinder 15 and extending through it into the pressure chamber 32 is a reversing valve 81 having a threaded exhaust port 82 and a threaded pressure port 83. Passages 84 and 85 leave these ports and pass radially into the valve. The valve is clearly shown in Figures 7 through 10. At the outer end of the valve it is provided with an integral fastening plate 86 which resides outside the cylinder and is bolted thereto; the otherwise cylindrical outer surface of the cylinder 15 is flattened to receive it. At the other or inner end, the valve is formed with a concave curved portion 87 which rests against the vertical cylindrical surface of the groove 31 in the rotor 28. The inner end of the valve is also formed with a horizontal slot 88 in which resides a slide 89 having an enlargement 91 at one end and an enlargement 92 at the other end. The slide is formed on its inner side with a curved surface 93 which is an extension of the curved portion 87 of the valve and also fits slidably against the bottom of the groove in the rotor. The root of the slot 88 in the valve is formed with a curved surface 94 coaxial with the curved portion 87 and the slide is formed with a curved surface 95 of the same curvature which fits slidably against the surface 94. The exhaust passage 84 passes through the valve above the slot 88 and the slide 89 and terminates in an opening 96 on a radial surface 97 of the valve. The pressure passage 85 passes inwardly through the lower part of the valve and terminates in a vertical bore 98 that extends vertically completely through the valve. In the upper part of the valve a horizontal passage 99 extends from the bore 98 to an opening 102 on a radial surface 101 on the pressure side of the valve. Since the bore 98 passes through the slot 88 and the slide 89 normally resides in the slot, a vertical aperture 103 is provided, passing through the slide in such a position as to be aligned with the bore 98 when the slide is positioned so that the enlargement 92 rests against the surface 101 on the pressure side of the valve. A horizontal passage 104 enters the surface 101 in the lower part of the valve and terminates in a vertical passage 105 extending through the valve; another horizontal passage 106 leaves the passage in the upper part of the valve and terminates on the surface 97 of the valve. ,Since the extension of the passage 105 passes through the slide, an aperture 107 is provided, extending vertically through the slide and this aperture is aligned with the passage 105 when the slide is in such a position that the enlargement 91 is resting against the surface 97 of the valve. The various openings on the surfaces 97 and 101 are located so that they are not covered by the enlargements 91 and 92 when the latter engage their respective surfaces.

A passage 108 is provided entering the wall 33 of the rotor from the pressure side, this being the side facing the reversing valve 81 when the parts are in the normal condition shown in Figure 4. The passage extends generally parallel to the circumference of the rotor and intersects a radial passage 109 which, in turn, terminates in the bore. 56. In connection with the wall 33, it should be noted that its outer surface, which surface engages the surface of the cylindrical bore 23 of the cylinder 15, is provided with a vertical groove 111 in which is inserted a sealing means 112, such as a straight piece of rubber of circular cross-section. It is also worthy of note that an integral abutment 112 extends upwardly from the top of the wall 33, as is most evident in Figure 2, and is engaged by a similar abutment 113 extending downwardly from the pulley 62 when the wall engages the enlargement 92 of the slide and the enlargement also engages the surface 101 of the valve.

Into the pressure port 83 is fastened a flexible conduit 114 connected at its other end to an outlet port 115 of a three-way valve 116. The valve consists of a valve body 117 and a spool-type plunger 118 having a push-button actuator 119. The body is provided with a bore 121in which the plunger is slidably retained and into which open the port 115, an exhaust port 122 passing to the atmosphere, a port 123 in which is mounted a fusible plug 124, and a port 125 in which is fastened a flexible conduit 126. The fusible plug 124 is of such a nature that it will seal the port 123 until such time as it is subjected to abnormal temperamres in the surrounding atmosphere; at such time, it will melt and open the port. The conduit 126 is connected at its other end to av tank, not shown, of compressed carbon dioxide such as is often used with fire extinguishing equipment. This tank will preferably be provided with a shut-off valve and a pressure-reducing valve. A spring 127 normally retains the plunger 118 in such a position that the ports 115 and 122 are connected together; actuation of the plunger connects the port 115 to the port 125 and covers the port 122. Preferably, the valve 116 is mounted on the rear surface of an engine cover 128 with the push-button actuator 119 extending therethrough for contact by the operator.

The operation of the apparatus will now be readily understood in view of the above description. When the operator pushes the actuator 119, the plunger 118 moves to the left in Figure 1. The exhaust port 122 is covered and the outlet port 125 is connected to the inlet port 115. Carbon dioxide gas under regulated pressure enters the conduit 114 and passes into the port 83 of the reversing valve 81 and into the passage 85. With the ports in the condition shown in Figure 4, the gas flows into the vertical bore 103 and goes from one end to the other because the enlargement 92 is resting against the surface 101 of the valve and the aperture 103 is aligned with the bore. Gas does not escape from the ends of the bore because the upper and lower surfaces of the valve are in sliding relation to the radial surfaces of the groove 31 in the rotor. The gas is, however, able to pass out of the bore through the passage 99 into the portion of the chamber 32 between the surface 101 of the valve and the wall 33 of the rotor. The pressure of the gas causes the rotor to turn, the direction being clockwise as viewed in Figure 4. At the same time, the gas under pressure passes through the passages 108 and. 109 in the Wall 33 and into the bore 56 in the rotor. The pawl 57 is forced downwardly against the resistance of the spring 59; the pawl engages one of the teeth 55 on the ratchet plate 54. Since the plate is securely fastened to the flywheel 13 of the engine, the cranckshaft 12 will be rotated as the rotor turns. In other words, the pawl 57 serves to connect the rotor to the flywheel.

The gas pouring into the chamber between the valve 81 and the wall 33 causes the rotor to rotate still further. If the engine starts 'at' any time, the flywheel and the ratchet plate will suddenly race ahead of the rotor; since the teeth 55 are inclined rearwardly, as is evident in Figure 5, the pawl will merely be forced out of the teeth and they will pass it without driving it. Whether the engine starts or not, the rotor continues to rotate until the exhaust side of the wall 33 strikes the slide 89 and drives the enlargement 91 into engagement with the surface 97 of the valve. The aperture 103 is no longer in alignment with the bore 103 and gas pressure is cut off. At the same time the aperture 107 moves into alignment with the bore 105; it is then possible for the pressure gas to enter the passage 104 and to pass through the bore 105, the aperture 107 and the passage 106 into the exhaust side of the valve, i.e., the portion of the chamber 32 between the surface 97 of the valve and the wall 33. This balances the gas pressures on the opposite sides of the wall 33 and, at the same time, permits the gas to escape to the atmosphere through the opening 96 in the surface 97 and through the passage 84. During the time that the rotor has been moving in a clockwise manner, energy has been stored in the clock spring 53. When the gas pressure differential is removed from the wall 33, the spring returns the rotor to its position of rest where it is brought to a halt by the abutment 112 of the rotor striking the abutment 113 of the pulley. Before the rotor comes to rest, however, the wall 33 strikes the slide 89 and forces the enlargement 92 against the surface 101 of the valve. If the operator continues to depress the actuator 119, the cycle will repeat itself. When the engine starts, the operator will permit the plunger 118 of the three-Way valve to return to its normal position and the cycle will stop. If it is desired to crank the engine manually, it is only necessary to grasp the handle 67 and to pull the rope 66. This will rotate the pulley 62 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, and the rotor 28 will be carried with it because of the engagement of the abutments 112 and 113. To impart this rotation to the flywheel, the pawl 57 must engage the ratchet plate 54 and, of course, the pawl is normally situated in its uppermost position due to the influence of the spring 59. However, it may be observed in Figure 3 that as the pulley rotates the cam pin 74 strikes an inwardly-directed surface 129 of the cam. abutment 75 which extends downwardly from the cover 16. The sliding action between the pin and cam abutment causes the pin to move radially inwardly, thus pivoting the arm 72 about its rivet 73. This movement of the spring carries the dog 71 inwardly also and it strikes the stem 58 of the pawl, moving the latter downwardly into engagement with a tooth 55 on the ratchet plate 54. The pulley, rotor and engine flywheel are then locked together and the normal rotation of the pulley also turns over the engine. As the pulley approaches the completion of a single rotation, the cam pin 74 engages an outwardly-inclined surface 131 of the cam abutment 78 and is forced radially outwardly. The dog 71 is also moved outwardly so that the pawl 57 may return to its normal position out of engagement with the ratchet plate 54. The cam abutments 76 and 77 serve to locate the pin 74 and the dog 71 in their normal positions of rest, so that, when another cycle of rotation is begun, they will start from the proper positions. The spring 53 returns the rotor and pulley to their original positions upon the release of the rope'by the operator.

It should be notedthat ifthe engine catches fire, the fusible plug 124 will melt and open the port 123 of the valve 116. Since gas under pressure always exists in the conduit 126, gas will pass through the port 125 into the relief in the bore 121 associated with the port; from there the gas will pass outwardly'through the port 123. Since carbon dioxide is heavier than air and is also a non-supporter of combustion, the gas will fill the space surrounding the engine and will extinguish the fire.

-The foregoing disclosure and the showings made in the drawings are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and are not to be interpreted in a limiting sense. The only limitations are to be determined from the scope of the appended claims.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A starter for an internal combustion engine having a flywheel, comprising a circular casing adapted to be mounted on the engine and over the flywheel, a pulley adapted to be manually rotated rotatably mounted within the casing, a rotor rotatably mounted within the casing and adapted to be rotated by a gas under pressure, a ratchet plate fastened to the flywheel of the engine, a reciprocable pawl mounted in the rotor for connecting the rotor to the flywheel, and means connecting the pulley to the flywheel when the pulley is rotated manually, the gas serving to rotate the rotor and at the same time to move the pawl into engagement with the ratchet plate so that the rotor and flywheel are connected in driving relationship.

2. A starter for an internal combustion engine having a flywheel, comprising a circular casing adapted to be mounted on the engine and over the flywheel, a pulley adapted to be manually rotated rotatably mounted within the casing, a rotor rotatably mounted Within the casing and adapted to be rotated by a gas under pressure, a pawl mounted in the rotor for connecting the rotor to the flywheel on occasion, means connecting the pulley to the flywheel when the pulley is rotated manually, and a dog mounted on the pulley and serving to actuate the pawl to connect the rotor to the flywheel when the pulley is rotated manually.

3. A starter for an internal combustion engine having a flywheel, comprising a circular casing adapted to be mounted on the engine over the flywheel and including a cylinder located coaxially of the flywheel, a pulley adapted to be manually rotated rotatably mounted within the casing, a rotor rotatably mounted in the cylinder and adapted to be rotated by a gas under pressure, means connecting the rotor to the flywheel when the rotor is rotated by the gas, and means connecting the pulley to the flywheel when the pulley is rotated manually.

4. A starter for an internal combustion engine having a flywheel, comprising a circular casing adapted to be mounted on the engine over the flywheel and including a cylinder located coaxially of the flywheel, a pulley adapted to be manually rotated rotatably mounted within the casing, a rotor rotatably mounted in the cylinder and adapted to be rotated by a gas under pressure, a ratchet plate fastened to the flywheel of the engine, a pawl mounted on the rotor for connecting the rotor to the flywheel on occasion, means connecting the pulley to the flywheel when the pulley is rotated manually, the gas serving to rotate the rotor and at the same time serving to move the pawl into engagement with the ratchet plate so that the rotor and flywheel are connected in driving relationship, and a dog mounted on the pulley and serv ing to actuate the pawl to connect the rotor to the flywheel when the pulley is rotated manually.

5. A starter for an internal combustion engine having a flywheel, comprising a circular casing adapted to be mounted on the engine and over the flywheel, a pulley adapted to be manually rotated which pulley is rotatably mounted Within the casing, a rotor rotatably mounted within the casing and adapted to be rotated by gas under pressure, a first means for connecting the rotor to the 1,006,064 flywheel, and second means connecting the pulley to the 1,032,694 flywheel when the pulley is rotated manually, the gas 1058 811 serving to rotate the rotor and at the same time to actuate the first means so that the rotor and flywheel are con- 1O77884 nected in driving relationship. 2,446,691 2,558,840

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 960,072 Bunson May 31, 1910 10 630,551

8 Clarke Oct. 17, 1911 Milne et al.- July 16, 1912 'Ihurberi' Apr. 15, 1913 Kinney Nov. 4, 1913 Clyde et a1. Aug. 10, 1948 Gordon July 3, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany May 29, 1956 

